Cabbage looper on tomatoes

The cabbage looper is primarily a pest of brassica crops, but will sometimes expand its smorgasbord to include everything from cantaloupe to tomatoes.

Looper caterpillars are easily recognized because they crawl by arching their backs. Looper eggs are laid singly on the undersurface of mature leaves. They are similar to fruitworm eggs, but flatter, and have finer ridges radiating from the top.

Cabbage loopers feed only on foliage, not on fruit. Damage is usually insufficient to require control measures so treatment is rarely recommended.

Distribution

The cabbage looper is found throughout Canada, Mexico, and the United States wherever crucifers are cultivated, and on any other continents. However, overwintering in the United States apparently occurs only in the southernmost states. It is somewhat erratic in occurrence, typically very abundant one year, and then scarce for two to three years. This is likely due to a nuclear polyhedrosis virus. The cabbage looper is highly dispersive, and adults have sometimes found at high altitudes and far from shore. Flight ranges of approximately 200 km have been estimated.

Damage

Cabbage loopers are leaf feeders, and in the first three instars they confine their feeding to the lower leaf surface, leaving the upper surface intact. The fourth and fifth instars chew large holes, and usually do not feed at the leaf margin. In the case of cabbage, however, they feed not only on the wrapper leaves, but also may bore into the developing head. Larvae consume three times their weight in plant material daily. Feeding sites are marked by large accumulations of sticky, wet fecal material. Despite their voracious appetite, larvae are not always as destructive as presumed.

Prevention

• Grow healthy organic plants. Strong plants can handle some damage from cabbage loopers and worms better than weak, struggling plants. Make sure that your crops are getting enough sunlight and water, and that the soil is well-drained and rich in nutrients and organic matter.
• Remove or till in old plants. Because pupae of both these caterpillars spend the winter on dead plants and garden litter, it is important to remove that stuff from the field and compost it or till it into the soil. This works best in fall, and must be done before adult moths and butterflies emerge in spring. [top]
• Use row covers. Keep the moths and butterflies from finding your crop by covering your plants with a lightweight “floating” row cover such as Reemay. These materials (as opposed to plastic or heavier fabrics) allow water, air, and sunlight to get through. You can get them at garden supply stores or order them from seed catalogs. The covers can lie right on the plants (the plants will lift the cover as they grow), or you can support the covers with wire hoops. Broccoli, cabbage, and other Brassica crops do not need pollination by flying insects to produce, so you can leave the covers on all season.
• Some other prevention methods are:

• Keep the garden free of weeds, especially those preferred by cabbage loopers – wild mustard, peppergrass, and wild cabbage.

• Monitor susceptible plants for cabbage looper eggs and crush them before they hatch.

• Check the undersides of leaves for young looper larvae. Hand pick and destroy them by dropping the caterpillars in soapy water.

• Use floating row covers as a barrier to moths. Be sure to anchor all sides of the row covers.

• Collect diseased caterpillars and make your own cabbage looper remedy. Cabbage looper larvae are susceptible to a virus that kills them. Infected caterpillars will look yellow or white, and swollen. Blend these sick caterpillars with water and spray it on plants to infect other larvae.

• Apply Bacillus thuringensis when larvae are young.

Management and treatment

Although common in tomato fields, cabbage looper populations are generally kept below damaging levels by naturally occurring parasites and a viral disease. Moderate numbers of loopers are considered more beneficial than harmful because they serve as alternative hosts for parasitic wasps that also attack tomato fruitworms and other pest caterpillars. Treatment is only necessary if feeding is extensive enough that sunburn of the fruit is a concern. Consider nondisruptive insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis to protect natural enemies.

Biological control
There are several important naturally occurring parasites that help control loopers in tomatoes. One of these is Hyposoter exiguae, which also attacks tomato fruitworms and armyworms. Another parasitic wasp, Copidosoma truncatellum, commonly kills cabbage looper and other larvae by attacking the overwintering pupae. Looper eggs are often killed by Trichogramma released for tomato fruitworm control often parasitize cabbage looper eggs as well. Alfalfa and cabbage loopers are also subject to disease caused by a nuclear polyhedrosis virus. Conserve these parasites by not treating with disruptive pesticides, particularly early in the season.

Organically acceptable methods
Biological control and sprays of Bacillus thuringiensis or the Entrust formulation of spinosad are acceptable for use on an organically certified crop.

Monitoring and treatment decisions
Determine the extent of damage in the field. If damage is severe enough to expose fruit to sunburn, treat mid- to late-season foliage to maintain the plant canopy. Spot treat only severely infested areas.

Blister beetles

Several species of slender, elongate beetles up to 19 mm long; have prominent heads; bodies variously colored but usually black, black with yellow margins, or black and yellow striped; stringy black excrement on heavily infested plants; foliage ragged; plants sometimes stunted.

A screenshot of Blister Beetle.

Growing Dwarf Cherry Trees (without watering) and with the Groasis Waterboxx

Last year, the author decided to plant a dwarf cherry tree purchased from Stark Brothers nursery online.  The tree, a Blackgold® Sweet Cherry Semi-Dwarf, barely grew over the first year (without a Waterboxx).  We watered the trees consistently from a hose during 2013.  We were very disappointed with this and the tree at the end of its first winter (late February) is shown below.

Below you see the cherry tree after the Waterboxx was placed (on April 27) , with a little bit of leaf growth.  There was a late spring this year after a bitterly cold winter, and we haven't yet seen much growth.

Below we see the tree only three weeks later (May 18) with approximate doubling in canopy size.  This is largely due to the consistent water provided by the Groasis Waterboxx.

In the interim between the above and below pictures, we had some animal (we believe a rabbit) eat bark from around 80% of the trunk.  We repaired this the best we could and added a GrowSafe® Telescoprotexx (tree protector) that allows sunlight to reach the small tree but protects it from animals.  The tree below is shown on July 22, 2014.  The canopy size is again almost doubled, and now the tree is in danger of getting so large so quickly that we may have trouble removing the Waterboxx.

The Groasis Waterboxx was designed to grow trees in deserts, but even in relatively wet climates (like ours in Indiana) it dramatically increases tree growth because the Waterboxx allows for constant irrigation to the roots.  The Waterboxx collects near nightly dew and occasional rainwater, and stores this water in a 4 gallon reservoir, and slowly releases this to the roots of the growing plant in its center.  The Waterboxx is removed after about one year (before the tree canopy gets too large to permit the central Waterboxx opening around it) and is reused for up to 10 years.  The Waterboxx planted tree then has deeply developed roots, which access capillary water and provide drought resistance to the tree.

We will continue to update this page with more photos throughout the year.  We expect our first cherry crop next year thanks to the Waterboxx.

Be the first in your area to begin planting trees with the Waterboxx.  Not only does the Waterboxx save time and conserve water, but it also saves money on planting trees when all costs are considered.  Buy the Waterboxx here.

You can see all our blog posts about planting trees with the Waterboxx here. We would love to hear your comments below - to leave one, please click on "Comments".

How to use an Epsom salt mix as a fertilizer for tomatoes?

If you thought the secret to growing big juicy tomatoes was as simple as popping the plants into a bucket or container of rich, organic soil, think again. These vigorous growers are heavy feeders requiring both frequent watering and supplemental fertilizer. Adding Epsom salt to your tomato care regimen may give them the boost they need to produce robust stems and abundant fruit.

1. Apply Epsom salt to the soil around the base of the tomatoes every two weeks to provide needed magnesium and sulfur to the soil. The Epsom Salt Council explains that plants need both magnesium and sulfur, the active ingredients in Epsom salt, to produce chlorophyll and for proper absorption of both phosphorus and nitrogen.
2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt for each foot in plant height. A 3-foot tomato plant requires 3 tablespoons of Epsom salt. Water the plants thoroughly to dissolve the Epsom salt. This distributes it to the roots of the tomato plant in a usable form.
3. Mix Epsom salt with water before applying, if preferred. The University of Alaska Fairbanks recommends mixing 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt to 1 gallon of water and watering plants as usual. This method is particularly useful when watering young seedlings.

Homemade tomato fertilizer

Planting tomatoes in your back yard helps you control the growing environment to produce fresh, ready-to-eat vegetables. You'll need to use some type of fertilizer to enrich the soil with necessary nutrients so your tomatoes reach their full growth potential. Many items already around your house can make great, homemade tomato fertilizers.

Hair
Hair contains keratin, sulfur and nitrogen. These nutrients slowly release into the soil as the hair breaks down. Because it acts as a slow-release fertilizer, an application of hair fertilizer can add nutrients weeks after being administered. You can use either human hair or pet hair. Animals shed more frequently and copiously than humans, so many gardeners brush their pets often and use the excess hair for the garden. The best way to keep it from blowing away in the wind is to pat it into the dirt. This way it combines with a little bit of soil to weigh it down. If you use a thick layer of hair, it will also act as a barrier, keeping weeds from sprouting through the garden surface.

Eggshells
Eggshells provide calcium and a small amount of nitrogen. Allow the moisture in the eggshells to evaporate in a warm location, or use the heat from a gas oven's pilot light to dry out the shells over a couple of days. Crumble them before sprinkling them around the base of your tomato plant. You can then water the area to help the shells stick to the ground.

Coffee grounds
Used coffee grounds can be applied to the soil of your garden to add nutrients for your tomato plants. The grounds work best when they are completely dry. After you brew your coffee, leave the grounds out for a few days until all the moisture has evaporated. This recipe also works in combination with the eggshells. If you have scattered shells already, add a layer of dry coffee grounds to the mix.

Epsom salts
A mixture of 1 tbsp. of Epsom salts to 1 gallon of water gives tomato plants magnesium and sulfate. You can sprinkle this solution on your plants once a month, but be careful not to overdo it. Salt can be harmful to all plants if doses exceed their tolerance level.

The best fertilizers to grow tomato plants

Whether you are looking to win the blue ribbon at the country fair or just want a nice juicy tomato, knowing the best fertilizer will help you achieve your goal. Tomatoes are heavy feeding plants. They don't take a lot of maintenance other than the occasional watering and feeding from some form of fertilizer, whether a liquid, granule or just your own compost.

Compost
Composting provides one of the best and least expensive ways to fertilize your tomatoes; use yard clippings, eggshells, overripe fruit and anything biodegradable. Avoid using things like meat and grease. Before putting your compost with your tomatoes, check the pH level. A good level of pH ranges between 6.0 and 7.0. Composting keeps the moisture level even at the roots.

Liquid tomato fertilizer
Once you have an established tomato plant, use a liquid fertilizer, which has a fast release and quickly replenishes the lost nutrients. Blended with fish kelp, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, this type of fertilizer is ideal for tomato plants. Buy liquid fertilizer at any major lawn-care provider. The only drawback to using liquid fertilizer lies in the fact that you need to reapply the fertilizer often during rains or prolonged dry spells.

Tomatoes alive
Tomatoes Alive is specifically designed to give tomatoes what they need. It releases some nutrients quickly to start the plant and keep it healthy when it is young and becoming established; it releases other nutrients slowly to avoid root damage. (Also, as the plant matures, it does not need nutrients as quickly.) Home Improvement Time studies proved that tomatoes grown with Tomatoes Alive produced 150 percent more tomatoes than plants with no fertilizer.

Tomato tone
Tomato Tone is an all-natural product made from plants and other natural products. Use this type of fertilizer on transplanted or mature plants. You only need a handful of fertilizer sprinkled around the plant. Tomato Tone has a special formula with more than three million microbes that benefit to the roots, keeping them strong and healthy. According to Veggigardener, tomatoes grown with Tomato Tone grew bigger and faster than those without, and they produced more tomatoes than did plants with no fertilizer. This blend contains 3 percent nitrogen, 4 percent phosphorus and 6 percent potassium; all of which are essential to growing good healthy tomatoes.

Fertilizing cherry tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are among the easiest tomato plants to grow. They often bear fruit before larger tomato types and suffer fewer diseases. Cherry tomatoes flower and bear fruit all season long, and may grow on long, robust vines, depending on the cultivar. They need plenty of nutrition to keep up with all that growth. Either organic or synthetic nitrogen fertilizers work well for feeding cherry tomatoes, depending on your preference, but take care not to overfeed them.

1. Spread 1 to 2 inches of composted manure on the garden in spring. Till it in to a depth of 6 inches to provide a slow-release source of nitrogen that will fertilize the plants most of the summer as well as improve drainage and soil texture.
2. Apply additional fertilizer when the cherry tomatoes begin to set fruit. Spread a shovelful of manure around the base of the plant and water well. Alternatively, spread granular nitrogen fertilizer for vegetables around the base of the plant, at half the recommended amount.
3. Reapply manure or granular fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks until plants wane in the fall.